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Córdoba

Spain

Cityscape: Beautifully built Califal capital
City life: Tapas, dancing

Architecturally astonishing and alive with history, the stately, statuesque city of Córdoba is an Andalucian wonderland of whitewashed walls and winding streets.

If there were a golden triangle of Spanish/Moorish architecture (and there is – just look at a map and join the dots) you’ll find Córdoba at the peak with Seville and Granada making up the foundations. Smaller and more easily overlooked than its higher-profile neighbours, Córdoba holds its own over both: avoiding the tourist logjam of Granada, and, according to UNESCO, which branded the city centre a world heritage site in 1984, boasting better-preserved buildings than Seville. Its dinky size makes Córdoba the perfect place for the ever-so-slightly sluggish sightseer (ancient walled city: check. Jewish quarter: check. world’s third largest mosque: check), and, like its fellow Andalucian towns, it’s always got matadors on its mind, tapas in its mouth and flamenco in its footsteps.

Pictured: Hospes Palacio de Bailío

Boutique hotels in Córdoba

Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and boutique hotels in Córdoba

Getting there

Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.

Worth getting out of bed for

Highlights the best Córdoba has to offer, from art and culture to fun-packed activities; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.

Eating, drinking & dancing

We've tracked down the best cafés for people-watching, the bars with the coolest cocktails, the most accomplished restaurants and the liveliest local nightlife in Córdoba. All you have to do is make sure you've packed your favourite threads…

Smith Maps

Here is the map of Córdoba; each Mr & Mrs Smith hotel is marked by a flag; click it for more details.

Taxis: Petite Córdoba is a very walkable town… but if you must resort to wheels then Radio Taxi has the number to call www.radiotaxiCórdoba.com; (+34 95 776 4444).
Tipping culture: Small-change-shaped gestured are always appreciated, but tipping is not common Spanish practice.
Siesta and Fiesta: More modern-minded shops and malls stay open between 10am and 9pm, but more traditional vendors still enjoy the siesta after lunch, often reopening around 5pm. As elsewhere in Spain, nightlife is just that, with most locals dining at 10pm or later, and filling up the tavernas and clubs until the early hours.
Packing tips: In addition to a taste for ham and an eye for a good garden, you’ll be best served by the usual southern-Spain staples: sturdy shoes, decent sunglasses, and an airy wardrobe.
Recommended reads: The Origin of the Mosque of Córdoba: Secrets of Andalucia by Marvin H Mills; Or I'll Dress You in Mourning: The Extraordinary Story of El Cordobes by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre. Córdoba has a heavyweight intellectual heritage; try dabbling in the works of Seneca, Averroes, or Maimonides if ancient philosophy floats your canoe.
Cuisine: Córdoba’s most characteristic dish is salmorejo, a thick soup made from puréed tomato, garlic, vinegar and bread. Like gazpacho, it’s served cold, and the bowl comes flanked with Serrano ham and boiled eggs. Moor-influenced berenjenas con miel (aubergine with honey) is unlikely to become a worldwide culinary craze, but the Córdobese sure like it. Pork dishes occupy the most menu-space, with the leader of the herd being flamenquin – thin slices of pork tenderloin rolled in Serrano ham, dusted in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs then deep-fried.
Currency: Euro
Time zone: GMT +1
Dialing codes: +34 for Spain; 857/957 for Córdoba.
Do go/don't go: As with the rest of inland Spain – scorchio summer months are to be avoided. Spring months such as May can be the most blissfully balmy.

Getting there

Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.

Planes: Seville and Malaga have the closest airports, both about two hours away by car and both hosting regular flights to/from Luton, Gatwick and Stansted. Easyjet is the most prolific airline if you’re coming from the UK.
Trains: The Renfe’s high-speed AVE trains link Córdoba to Madrid (under two hours) and Malaga (under an hour) and to Seville in an amazing 25 minutes. The train station’s to the north of the city, just off the Avenida de América – bus number 3 ferries you between there and the historic centre.
Automobiles: Córdoba’s streets are made for walking, and you couldn’t even fit a car in the winding thoroughfares of the Jewish quarter, but if you want to explore the province and the nearby towns, you should rent one. Alternatively, hire a GPS-equipped electric buggy from www.blobject.es – they’re small enough to squeeze into the tightest spaces.

Worth getting out of bed for

Highlights the best Córdoba has to offer, from art and culture to fun-packed activities; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.

Completely Córdoba

Almost every house in Córdoba has its own decorative little courtyard and fountain. Patios Córdobeses developed from both Roman and Arab cultures and have become an iconic feature of the area – there’s even an annual patio competition and festival where the city’s citizens open their doors to allow the public to view the elaborate displays of flowers and fountains.

Viewpoint: Climb the Torre de los Leones and/or the Torre de Homenaje at the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos for knockout panoramas of the gardens, the Guadalquivir river, and the Roman bridge.
Arts and culture: The Mezquita Cathedral is the sparkliest jewel in Córdoba’s crown; once one of the largest and most impressive mosques in the world, it’s now a Roman Catholic cathedral. Seemingly endless rows of red and white brick arches lead you through a wide range of artistic influences from Islamic to Gothic and Baroque. The light beaming through the ornate wooden windows is especially inspiring. Andalucia is the heartland of flamenco, and you can catch energetic daily performances at Tablao et Cardenal (+34 95 748 3320), beside the Mezquita.
Something for nothing: Gastronomes should visit the nearby town of Alcolea, home to the enlightening and appetising Museo del Aceite Carbonell (+34 957 320400). It’s a grand plantation house that offers three free tours through the history of olive oil production (plus lots of tastings) every weekday. Call in advance to book a place.
Shopping: For jewellery, silverware and traditional pottery, make a beeline to the labyrinthine lanes of the Judería (Jewish quarter), where you’ll find Arte Zoco (+34 95 720 4033), a collective of artisans and craftspeople you can watch in their workshops. Custom-made lather goods are found in Taller Meryan (+34 95 747 5902) on Calleja de las Flores, inside a 250-year-old building. Matilde Cano, (+34 95 749 2247) on Calle Gondomar that’s been bringing Andalucian innovation to the international catwalk for more than 30 years. Azzait (+34 95 776 7144) on Avenida Córdoba serves a selection of olive oil and olive oil-inspired products, such as soaps and candles.
Daytripper: If you develop a craving for the coast, the beaches of Málaga are less than an hour away by AVE train. The city is Picasso’s birthplace, and the two museums devoted to the artist (one a gallery, the other the house he was born in) are both worth an ogle. Have a tapas-tastic snack session at Gorki (+34 95 222 1466) on Calle Strachan; it’s always busy, but the fabulous food and fun atmosphere make it worth the squeeze. For a more heavy-duty lunch, head 12kms out of Malaga to the countryside in Churriana, where you’ll find Escuela de Hostería (+34 95 262 2562), a cooking school and restaurant that’s seen some of Spain’s most talented chefs pass through its hallowed halls. The gardens are gorgeous too.
Perfect Picnic: Stop for lunch on the tiny islands of Los Sotos de la Albolafia on the Rio Guadalquivir in the centre of the city. Originally used to house flour mills, today the islands are only inhabited by 40 species of birds, including endangered avians such as the glossy ibis and the purple gallinule. Take the riverbank walkways between the Puente Romano and Puente de San Rafael bridges and seek out a spot to settle among the trees. Stock up on deli delights at Bodegas Mezquita Tienda on Corregidor Luis de la Cerda (+34 95 749 8117) where you’ll find an array of Andalucian olive oils, cheeses, and wines, as well as bottles of montilla, the local sherry.
Walks: A stroll along the banks of the Guadalquivir is pleasant enough for an afternoon paseo, but more adventurous ramblers should strike out for the Medina Azahara about an hour away from Córdoba’s centre. Built in the 10th century by the Caliph of Córdoba, the ruined city and palace was once the blueprint for Andalucia’s Islamic architecture and makes for eye-opening wandering.
Children: The art- and architecture-heavy city is stunning to look at, but restless young minds may not get as much out of the gorgeous visuals as the grown-ups. Young Smiths can release their energies at La Ciudad de los Niños (+34 95 720 0807). Combining parkland with playground, it’s a large, supervised green space that’s ideal for outdoorsy little ones.
Activities: Head to the heart of the historic centre and sink into the hammam baths of the Medina Califal (www.hammamspain.com). The strikingly decorated building was once a Moorish house, and now contains one of the largest bathhouses in Europe, intended to recreate the sensuous days of Moorish rule. As well as the trio of bathing areas, (cold, temperate and hot water), there’s a massage area, restaurant and an Arab tearoom.

Eating, drinking and dancing

Restaurants

Senzone

The Palacio del Bailío’s in-house eaterie marries fine-dining finesse to traditional Andalucian cuisine. It has a glass floor looking down on Roman ruins, and the two-floor walls are adorned with Juliet balconies and 18th-century Tuscan-style frescoes.

10–12 Ramírez de las Casas Deza, 14001 Córdoba, Spain
(+34 95 749 8993)

Taberna Casa Pepe de la Juderia

Or just ‘Casa Pepe’ to the locals, this three-floor eaterie in the Jewish quarter has eat-at-the-bar tapas fare, as well as a sun-tickled dining area upstairs where you can enjoy the same local specialties while resting your sightseeing-weary feet.

(+34 95 720 0744)
1 Calle Romero, 14003 Córdoba, Spain

El Churrasco Restaurante

Pricier than most, but worth a bit extra, this Moorish-style hotel restaurant is renowned for its excellent grilled meat and fish, as well as the spicy sauce it’s named after.

16 Calle Romero, 14003 Córdoba, Spain
(+34 95 729 0819)

Bodegas Campos

One of Córdoba’s buzziest hang-outs since it opened in 1908, this rustic-looking house serves some of the most raved-about food in the city. There’s a scenester’s tapas joint at front, a cosy wine bar at the back, and a damn fine restaurant in the middle.

32 Calle Los Lineros, 14002 Córdoba, Spain
(+34 95 749 7500)

Restaurante Choco

Book ahead at Kisko Garcia’s ever-busy eaterie, where you’ll be faced with an inventive modern take on Córdoban cuisine. Look out for the lobster carpaccio.

14 Calle Compositor Serrano Lucena, Córdoba, Spain
(+34 95 726 4863)

Printable destination guide

Córdoba

Spain

Architecturally astonishing and alive with history, the stately, statuesque city of Córdoba is an Andalucian wonderland of whitewashed walls and winding streets.

Boutique hotels in Córdoba

Getting there

Worth getting out of bed for

Eating, drinking & dancing

Smith Maps

Local knowledge

Córdoba hotels

Hospes Palacio de Bailío

Getting there

Worth getting out of bed for

Completely Córdoba

Diary

Eating, drinking and dancing

Cafés

La Paloma

Restaurants

Senzone

Taberna Casa Pepe de la Juderia

El Churrasco Restaurante

Bodegas Campos

Restaurante Choco

Bars and clubs

Jazz Café